Ragnarök
by O. A. Guilfoyle
Summary: Ragnarok seemed a myth, a tale that wouldn't come true. But what happens when this 'myth' becomes a reality? Foreseen and heart breaking consequences, that's what. *Sequel to 'A Fleeting Affair-Abominable Secrets' so READ THAT FIRST!*
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is the sequel to A Fleeting Affair and Abominable Secrets so… ****DON NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THAT YET****… otherwise it simply will not make sense! If you want to read it you will find it immediately on my profile: 'A Fleeting Affair – Abominable Secrets'**

**Now, I know that ****Ragnarök consists of a big old war and a bunch of natural disasters that kills off a fair amount of certain Gods, which I will not tell you as I suspect they'll do that in the third Thor and I don't want to spoil it… just in case. And the left over Gods must reconvene and create two new humans to repopulate Earth and all that jazz. But I'm going to do it a little differently of course.**

**Okay, enjoy! And REVIEW!**

Colder Days

It was a cold evening- although that was no surprise- the days had been getting colder, the winds stronger and the rains more frequent- which was unusual as it hardly ever rained in Asgard- so obviously something wasn't right, but neither of the higher authorities had taken much notice of it. I clasped onto the algid railings of the balcony, my hands immediately feeling the cold. I looked out, over Asgard, small orange lights from the homes of the city looking like starts against a night sky, and breathed in, closing my eyes, letting the cool air caress my face and fill my lungs. It smelt fresh, not like the usual nights in Asgard, which consisted of tepid air that warmed your bare skin. I pulled my long; slate grey shall further over my shoulder to protect my bare skin from the night air's chill and leant against the railing so that I could see more of Asgard, all the way over to the sea that appeared black under the night's sky, the moon's silver light shimmering against the water.

"Getting colder, isn't it?" Asura stated, stepping out onto the balcony and coming to stand next to me, taking hold of the railings also. She was wearing black again. Black toga, black heels, black shall. I suppose the only time she'd ever stop wearing black was when they brought out a darker colour.

"Yes. Odd, isn't it?" I retorted.

"Mhm." She sighed and leant against the railings, the light breeze tickling at the loose curls of her chestnut hair. "Why aren't you inside?"

I smiled for a moment, thinking back on what I had said to Loki in the library a long time ago. "Small talk and hors d'oeuvres bore me." I explained, smiling to myself. "What about you, sister dear?"

"Well," She raised the glass of mead that she had brought out with her to her lips and sipped. "they bore me too, _sister dear_."

"Ladies," Loki addressed, joining the both of us on the balcony and removing his deep, velvet green jacket and hanging it on my shoulders to provide me with extra warmth. He kissed my cheek. "What are you doing out here, my little bug?"

I turned to him. "Thinking, feeling… feeling the cold that is."

Asura began pacing the balcony, her heels clopping against the solid floor, her glass raised to her lips as she sipped. "It's colder these days." She exclaimed.

"How's your fath- Odin?" I asked Loki, fiddling with the lapels on the jacket Loki had put around me.

"He grows worse with every day that passes. Of course his health does not matter to me, but I suppose it does to others."

"Loki," I whispered. "do not say that."

"He isn't my father, Eliera."

I reached up and touched his face, rubbing my thumb against his cheek in a circular motion tenderly. "Loki, he may not be biologically, but he _is _your _father_. He raised you. He may not have told you who you really are but he did it for _you_, to _protect_ you." I dropped my hand from his face and took his hand, playing with his fingers.

He pulled away. "Not you too." He began walking away.

"Loki!" I called after him. He ignored me and left.

Asura grabbed my arm to stop me from running after him. "Don't worry, E, he can't stay mad at you for five minutes without climbing back into bed with you." She began fiddling with the bracelet that adorned her wrist; I was beginning to think that it was a habit of hers. She ran her forefinger against the railing then rubbed her thumb and finger together. "It's wet." She frowned.

I felt a drop of water land on my cheek. I held my hand out, palm flat, multiple droplets landing upon it. "It's _raining_." I span around, arms out, letting the water droplets land all over me. "It hardly ever rains in Asgard."

She pulled her shall over her head and scurried inside. "It'll be snowing next." She said.

I tilted my head back, the rain droplets landing on my face. "Probably." I whispered to myself.

00000000

Volstagg had told me to help the nurses look after Odin- I loved my brother but he was always telling me what to do. I doused a flannel in cold water and laid it across his forehead, attempting to cool his fever. His face was bright red, heat radiating from his skin, tossing and turning in his bed and coughing and spluttering from time to time. Apparently whatever Odin had caught was not infectious, they couldn't even specify his illness, nor did they know how it developed. Frigga hadn't left his bedside since he became bed-ridden, hardly eating, and hardly sleeping. I retrieved a bowl of pistachio nuts from one of the tables and offered it to her. "You grace, you haven't eaten."

She pushed the bowl away. "No thank you, dear."

"Alright." I replaced the bowl.

"Eliera, you may go, I don't want you fussing over my husband all day. You're a young woman, go have fun." Frigga said, dipping the flannel I had placed on Odin's head in cold water again; it had grown warm already.

"It does not bother me, your grace; I want to do my bit." I was speaking the truth; I wasn't just saying it to appease her.

She got up and made her way over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know. The days grow cold, child, go read a book by the fire or something. I do not want to keep you here."

I nodded respectfully and took my leave. I'd heard that Sif was heading down to one of the city's inns for a drink so I decided to join her. I was going to ask Asura too, she'd never pass up an opportunity for getting drunk.

00000000

"What troubles you, Sif?" I asked, taking a sip of mead from my tankard.

"Nothing troubles me, Eliera." She downed the last of her mead.

I sighed and shook my head. I knew what was wrong with her. "It's prince Thor's absence isn't it? His being in Midgard?"

She scowled at me. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I know you have feelings for him. Don't deny it." Sif didn't like this kind of confrontation, but I was a little tipsy so my slight fear of her attitude had diminished.

"A little." She admitted, bowing her head and gazing into her tankard of alcohol.

"Well, he loves someone else." I swiveled in my bar stool. "Maybe you'd be better served by what lies in front of you." I gestured towards Fandral who was attempting to flirt with Asura whom was taking no interest what so ever. She had her head in a book, sat on a chair in the corner of the bar. Asura liked getting drunk but she preferred to do it on her own, she wasn't a fan of large crowds and celebrations. She enjoyed her solitude even more than _I_ did.

"You're right. You know what," Wow Sif was _opening_ _up_ to me. She must have been a little intoxicated by alcoholic fumes. "I think I was more attracted to the idea of being the queen of Asgard rather than _him_."

I raised my eyebrows. "Each to their own." I slid off of my stool and went over to my sister. "Asura, you should probably go home."

She raised her hand and pressed her hand against my face, her palm crushing my nose. "Shhh, this is the good part."

"Right." I said, my voice muffled due to her hand on my face. "How's Prince Amias?"

She snapped her book shut and scowled up at me, slipping her bookmark on the latest page. "Fine, fine. I won't read" She put her book down on the table. "Hmm, he's good in bed."

I almost choked on the mead I was drinking. "You _slept_ with him?" I said, dubious.

"Yes, I thought it would make it more convincing. I'm going to end it a day before he has to go back to Vanaheim." She explained.

"That's cold hearted." I pointed out, prodding her chest where her heat would be with my forefinger.

"Well, I'm a cold hearted bitch."

"No you're not." I ruffled her hair and turned on my heels, leaving the bustling inn and intoxicated and stuffy atmosphere, stepping outside to feel the cold and refreshing air against my sweating skin.

00000000

I knocked on the door to Loki's bed chamber, listening out for his reply, which I didn't receive. So I knocked again. Still I did not receive a reply, so I barged in anyway, into a room lit by numerous candles. Loki was sprawled out on the bed, legs crossed and his face buried deep into a book. "Loki," I said, sitting next to him and taking hold of the book, pulling it slowly away from his face. "are you mad at me?"

He grabbed me and flipped me onto my bad, looming over me. "Is Odin my father?" He asked.

I nodded my head, reaching up to touch his face, but he rolled away. "I'm not angry. You just annoy me." I placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. "He's not my father, Eliera."

I crawled atop him. "Fine, he's not." I kissed him. "But I think his death is somewhat inevitable. Maybe you should visit him, clear things up."

"My darling," He reached up and stroked my cheek. He-"

I cut him off. "Since when do you call me 'darling'?" I asked, smirking.

"Since now- look, he hates me."

"He _loves _you."

"He doesn't."

I exhaled and looked deep into his green orbs. I didn't say anything, just rolled off of him to lie at his side and buried my face in the crook of his neck. I kissed his shoulder and placed my hand on his chest, playing with one of his buttons. "Goodnight, Loki."

"Goodnight, my little bug."

We fell asleep.

**There's the first chapter. Okay, thanks for reading. Review? Thank yah, bye.**

**-Olivia**


	2. Chapter 2

It's beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas

I opened my eyes, awoke, to the smell of burnt out candles- we'd forgotten to blow them out so it seemed they'd gone out all on their own. The air was so cold, colder than it had been for the past few days, I had the right mind to call on a chamber maiden to light the fire but by the time one got here we'd both have frozen to death, besides I knew how to do it myself. Loki was sound asleep so I crept about when moving in the hope that I wouldn't wake him. I then sat before the embellished fireplace, only to see that there were no logs on the fire, this made me sigh, only to see my breath in the air: a white mist. My god it was very cold. I looked to the window, occupied by a foggy mist and patches of what seemed to be frost. I walked to it, placing my hand against the cold glass, and then removed it to see my own hand print upon it. As I scrutinised the window and the world beyond it further, I began to notice that a white and glistening substance had lined the sill of the window, which, I assumed, was snow- I'd never set my eyes upon snow before.

"I know." Loki said, making me jump a little and coming up behind me, placing his hands on both my shoulders. "It's odd isn't it? We've only ever seen snow in paintings, haven't we?"

"Mhm." I turned to him and looked up at him. "I'm going to go fetch some fire wood."

He frowned a little, his forehead creasing. "Don't be daft; a chamber maiden will get some from the lumbers."

I looked toward the sun in the sky, by the looks of its position it was six am. "The lumbers don't get to work until half past six. I want to go." I started for the door, opening the wardrobe and wrapping myself in my burgundy furs as I did so.

"You're an odd little thing, Eliera." Loki said, climbing back into bed.

00000000

The fresh snow crunched under my feet as I trudged along the sleeping city of Asgard- only a few people were up, preparing their stall and shops- and across the farming fields that lead to the vast woods in which the lumbers chopped their wood. The lumber camps were abandoned; the lumber jacks in their log cabins, fast asleep. I lifted the skirts of my dress to avoid the expensive material from getting wet. I then retrieved a hatchet from the ground, brushing the coating of snow off of it with my hands that were covered by my warm, sheepskin gloves, and carried it over to the nearest tree.

I hauled the heavy hatchet backwards, above my head, and then swung it forward with all my might, grunting as it slammed against the trunk, chipping deep into the wood. It felt good, like a release, but I didn't know what I was releasing. Anger? Sadness? Maybe there was something getting to me and I just didn't know it. With every swing my hits became more aggressive, until I'd almost cut half way through. I was pretty sure that it was taking me double the amount of time it would for one of the lumber jacks to take down a tree.

"You're doing it wrong, M'lady, you're supposed to use the axe to take down the tree and the hatchet for splitting it into logs." One of the lumbers pointed out, smiling in amusement at my _stupid _method of cutting trees.

"Well-" I felt bad for not knowing his name, not knowing the name of staff made me feel guilty. He clearly knew who I was.

"Jeb." He told me, knowing that I didn't know his name.

"_Jeb_- Well, Jeb, I don't know what I'm doing."

He strolled over to me and took the hatchet from my hand and replaced it with an axe, which was evidently heavier, my swings required much more effort. I swung, I hit, I swung I hit, but still I was not much closer to brining this tree down.

"I'll do it, M'lady." He then proceeded to take the tree down with a few swings of the axe and the tree crashed to the ground, shaking the earth beneath my feet slightly. "If you like you can split it into logs with the hatchet?"

I retrieved the hatchet from the floor and got to work.

00000000

I was passing through the halls, heading towards the library, when I came across Asura, striding towards me, Prince Amias following after her. "Why?!" He called out, desperate. "Why would you do this?!"

Asura ran to me, grabbed me by the shoulders and shoved me in front of her. "Please, Eliera, make him go away." She shrunk behind me.

"You ended it, didn't you?" I asked, rolling my eyes and sighing.

Prince Amias came charging towards us. "Don't do this, Asura. Why?!"

Asura stepped out from behind me. I watched her with curious eyes. "Amias, I don't want you, okay?" Asura really didn't know how to let down people gently; she could have put it better.

"But I'm in _love _with you." He lowered himself a little, as if about to collapse onto his knees.

She grabbed the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger and sighed. "No you're not; you're in love with _this_." She lowered her eyes towards the floor, gesturing towards her womanhood with her gaze.

"Bu-" He looked as if about to burst, like he'd lost everything.

She raised her forefinger to her lips and said. "Shhh." She placed her hand on the top of his head and pushed him down and onto his knees, his desperate little eyes gazing up at her. "I'd prefer a man of… intellectual qualities, a love for literature maybe. Not someone who has their sex obsessed and meager brain located in their… cock."

Amias' mouth dropped open and he placed his hands on his face. He seemed angry, sad maybe. "No, no, _no_."

"Actually, I'm going to see _him_ now." Him? Who? "He said he'd tell me about the convergences." She strutted off, head held high, straightening out her dress with a brush of her hands.

I looked down at Amias, his head in hands, muttering 'No' over and over again, shaking his head. "Do you want me to inform the queen of your… leaving?" I held out a hand and he took it, pulling him up.

He nodded, his lips puckered like a goldfish. It was kind of pathetic really- but of course I didn't say it to his face- he was supposed to be this lady's man who was the one who broke hearts and didn't get _his _broken. But I guessed the tables had turned for once.

00000000

I stood on the balcony of Frigga and Odin's chambers, arms folded, burgundy furs wrapped about me. The air was even fresher than that of yesterday's and the snow that covered most of Asgard made the days appear brighter, blinding almost. Odin's coughing had become more frequent lately and I had come out here to examine the hankie he had been coughing into myself- I know, disgusting, right? But I wanted to know what the nurses were hiding as I felt that they were not telling me the true severity of his illness.

I opened the folded handkerchief to see bile- as expected- but blood too… blood! And this odd, ashen, grainy substance that smelt of rotting flesh- not that I actually knew what _that _smell of- What was it? This was worse than I thought, I mean I knew that Odin's departure was inevitable but I didn't know it was this bad. It must have been more painful for him than I thought.

"Eliera, what are you doing out here?" Asura asked, stepping out onto the balcony with me, adjusting the black furs that adorned her shoulders.

"Just… being here." I sighed, fiddling with my gloves.

"Odd, isn't it? Wearing furs and gloves?" She pointed out, admiring her own black, leather ones.

She cleared her throat, not to speak, but to relieve her throat of a tickle by the looks of things. She touched her neck lightly with two fingers and swallowed hard. "Itchy throat." She said, her weak smile. "Started this morning." She coughed. "Must be a cold."

"_We_ don't get _colds_, _humans_ get colds." I said, stepping towards her.

She coughed again. "It's nothing, Eliera." She coughed again, holding her curled fist against her mouth as she did so. She walked away, furs dropping from her shoulders as she stepped inside.

**That wasn't a very eventful chapter but I do hope you enjoyed it all the same. Thanks for reading and review? Thanks, see yah.**

**-Olivia **


	3. Chapter 3

"First, he will cough up every inch of blood in his body, half way through that process his insides will rot, which he will also proceed to cough up. When he dies, your grace, he will be empty, no heart, no lungs, no nothing; an abandoned vessel. Then his body will- we think- go maybe a grey colour, something along those lines." The nurse explained.

Frigga didn't speak, just stared, her expression vacant. She had begged for the nurse to tell her the truth and now she'd gotten it, and it seemed to me that she had come to regret hearing that.

"We think, your grace, from the books we have read, that this is an illness developed only in one certain event." She continued.

Frigga raised her head. "Which is?" She already knew the answer, she was simply dubious.

"Ragnarök."

Just The Beginning

"How is she?" I asked, trying to look over the guards shoulder.

"I need to ask you to step back, M'Lady, you don't need to see this." He placed his hand up, a signal for me to stop trying to push past him.

"What's happening to her? How bad is it?"

"Lady Eliera, Please will you-"

The nurse didn't allow him to finish his sentence, placing her hand on his shoulder. She looked to me. "Come through, M'lady." She then looked to the guard. "Let her through, dear." Dear? Were they _together_?

"Alright." He stepped aside and looked to the nurse. "It's not contagious is it, Merel?" He asked the nurse- who I now knew was called Merel.

"No, my love, do not worry." She took his face in her hands and kissed him briefly before re-entering the room, me following afterwards. I rushed towards Asura's bedside, the quilts a mess, her face the colour of person at sea with a serious phobia of water, and her body tossing and turning like someone who physically reacted to sever nightmares. She moaned and groaned, coughed and coughed, and there was nothing I could do to help her. Small patches of blood stained her bed sheets, which I assumed she'd coughed up, and nurses picked up that grainy, black substance I had witnessed in Odin's Handkerchief off of her pillow with tweezers and placed it in a metal basin.

I placed my hand over my mouth. "Oh my." I sat on the bed and grabbed her hand. "Shhh." I said. "Shush now, I'm here." I stroked her hair; it stuck to her forehead with sweat. She wouldn't stop wiggling.

"She doesn't know it's you, M'lady, doesn't know she's here. She's hallucinating, just as bad as his grace was last night." She explained, taking my hand and pulling me away.

"How long will she last, Merel?"

"Well, you see this is something we can't quite-"

I cut her off, turning away from her to look at the floor, tears filling my eyes. "I've read about this… I…" I composed myself. "Rag-" I exhaled, my breath shaky. "Ragnarök."

"Yes." We spoke with a sense of fear to our voices, our words sounding as if it were a strain to produce them.

"I- no- I-." I placed my hands on my shoulders and looked up to the ceiling, inhaling and exhaling deeply, trying to calm myself, trying to take it all in. "The natural disasters, the catastrophes that we will face. Earth- Midgard, what will become of that- I-" I felt sick.

"Here, M'lady." Merel poured me a glass of mead as I sat down on a tuffet and handed it to me. "Drink this."

I necked it.

"Steady, M'lady."

Frigga entered the room. "How is she?" She asked.

"Your grace." Merel addressed, curtsying respectfully. I should have got up and done the same but I just wasn't in the mood for ladylike formalities.

"She's fi- not good, not good." I explained.

"Sweet child, go rest." Frigga said, walking towards me.

"My queen!" A pair of guards ran into the room, panting.

"Step outside, I find your messy stumbling into this room disrespectful towards Asura."

The guards stepped back behind the threshold. "I do apologise, but we have bad news."

"Go ahead; I do not doubt that there will be more to come." Frigga was a strong woman, even when trying to rule a city that was falling apart, and I admired her for it.

"It is the gate keeper, your grace, he has passed out. He is convulsing and coughing rather violently."

A hint of shock flickered through her face before she composed herself once again. "I assume you took him to the infirmary?"

They nodded.

"Take me to him."

00000000

"Loki!" I sobbed, running into his open arms. He folded me into a warm embrace.

"What's wrong?" He kissed into my hair. "I've never seen you cry, what's so bad that you've gone all weak on me?"

I punched him with weak and tired efforts. "Shut up, Loki, now is not the time for jests." I wiped my eyes on his shirt. "Asura's going to die and Heimdall passed out. Don't leave me here, please don't leave me."

"Hey, hey, calm down." He pulled me onto his lap and rocked me gently. "I'm not going anywhere; your frosty, evil mastermind can't be taken out so easily."

I hadn't told him that I loved him yet, nor had he told me, but I was pretty sure that I did and I didn't know whether to tell him or not. "Loki, I-" I stopped myself.

"You?"

"Nothing." I squeezed him tight and inhaled his familiar and comforting scent. It made me feel safe; it made me forget about all the horrors happening around us.

00000000

We all stood around Odin's bed, observing him, Frigga stood at the foot with tear filled eyes. It was silent. I watched his skin because that was what symbolised what little life he had left: the colour. The darker it got, the less life he possessed. It was a light grey at the moment, and from time to time it would darken ever so slightly, barely even noticeable to the average eye, but I noticed it and I was sure everyone else could see it too.

I entwined my fingers with Loki's and squeezed his hand. He may have denied Odin being his father but I knew, deep inside, he still possessed some love for Odin and that this was hurting his heart.

Odin's skin grew darker and darker until it was almost black, black as Huginn and Muninn's feathers. And then that tiny bit of light that occupied his eyes died out. He was dead. I began to wonder how painful it was for him. He didn't have lungs to strain or a heart to struggle any longer; he'd coughed it all up. Frigga's eyes spilled with tears, trickles running down her cheeks. We all bowed our heads respectfully. Odin was the first to go, to die, and there were still others that lay on their death beds, in pain and distress, and not just my sister and Heimdall. There was Sif, and Hogun whom had had to come back from Vanaheim because of it. Everything was falling to pieces.

Muninn flew in through the window, landing on Frigga's shoulder- he knew The All Father was dead so telling Frigga what he knew was his only other option. Frigga clapped her hand over her mouth and gasped, her tears becoming more violent. "It's Thor." She croaked. "He's dead."

I felt Loki's grip on my hand tighten, that had really gotten to him.

"I didn't-" She stammered. "I didn't even get to say goodbye. I-" She turned away from us all. "Pray excuse me." She left the room, two guards closing the door behind her. We all looked to the door she'd left through and heard her sobs and wails of despair. I could see it in Loki's face how much he wanted to go and comfort his mother, but, right now, she needed the space.

I linked my arms with his and pressed my lips against his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

He didn't say anything, just curled his arm around my waist and pulled me tighter against him.

What happened next was unexpected and sudden: The ground beneath our feet began to shake- gently at first- then violently, some people falling to their feet and panicked screams of distress arousing from the streets of Asgard. It hurt my head to try and even concentrate with the world around me spinning so badly like this.

Frigga burst into the room. "It's happening! Everyone into the cellars now!" We all stood there, frozen with shock. "Now!"

Loki grabbed my hand and made a b-line for his mother, hauling me along with him. Frigga was right, _it _was happening, the natural disasters. The All Father's death was supposed to trigger them after all. But this was just the beginning.

**Alright so that was a rather eventful chapter. Hope yah liked it. Review? Please? *pouts***

**-Olivia**


	4. Chapter 4

The L Word

As we ran, following Frigga and escorted by ample guards, the stone ceiling above us began to crack, the violent shaking of the ground making it hard for me to run without face palming the floor. Dust and tiny stones of rubble fell from the ceiling and showered us. I kept having to look back to make sure Noctis was following me, and if she were to slow down I'd call her. I loved that panther and if anything were to happen to her I'd be devastated. The further we ran the more that joined on, mostly guards carrying sickly patients and falling back due to the extra weight. I began to panic as I couldn't see Volstagg, I kept asking around for him but all I received in return was. "Keep running, My Lady." As the shaking became more violent the more vulnerable we grew, larger chunks of debris crashing to the ground behind us and cracks forming in pillars, threatening to crash down on us at any minute.

"Noctis," I acknowledged as she reached my side. I could barely speak, out of breath.

Just as I was beginning to lose hope of ever seeing Volstagg again I heard him. "Eliera!" He bellowed. I stopped in my tracks, letting others run past me as if I were not existent, a ghost. Loki grabbed my arm and tried to yank me in his direction, to continue running. But he stopped when he noticed Volstagg, and in his arms a dying Asura and Garm bounding behind them. "Keep running!" He shouted. "We'll catch up!"

At first I was reluctant, I wanted to wait for them to reach us, but Loki pulled me away and Noctis nudged my legs so I sprinted in the direction of the others. That was when the pillars started to break and crumble. Volstagg was the furthest behind, only just dodging the falling concrete and Garm leaping over it or smashing through it from time to time. Seeing this caused my heart to leap into my throat, sickness consuming me. But I kept running all the same.

When we reached the trap door that opened up to the cellar, everyone was shoved in one by one, scurrying down the stairs as if their lives depended on it- which they did- and because I had fallen behind Loki, Noctis and I were towards the back of the queue. Volstagg reached us eventually, cradling Asura in his arms and a bloody and slobbery Garm collapsing by his feet with exhaustion. "Brother," I panted in relief. "you have Asura." As I spoke to him I was constantly looking over his shoulder, watching as the falling debris grew closer and closer.

"Well, she's my half-sister too, isn't she?"

I smiled at that. "Thank you."

"Loki, get in." Frigga said, gesturing for us all to enter the cellar. Frigga hadn't gone in yet, she was waiting for the others. Loki grabbed my hand for us to go in but I pulled him back and stepped aside, gesturing for Volstagg to go first. Noctis, being the selfish and pampered little creature that she was, leapt in first. Then trudged my brother carrying Asura, and then followed the hound Garm. Loki went next, pulling me with him. When I was sure he was completely in I let go of his hand and shook my head, then looked up to Frigga. "You go, your grace, I'll make sure everyone gets in alive."

"Are you mad!?" Loki snapped. "Come one!"

"Go, child." Frigga said, pushing me forward.

I looked back to see the others running, screaming, pillars crashing towards them… towards _me_. "Your grace!" I squealed. I grabbed her by the arm and hauled her into the cellar, only just avoiding a huge clump of concrete. I stepped in but kept the door open above me for the others. But there was no point. I saw it, I saw the building crash down on them and crush them all, flatten them like little bugs under a giant's foot. It was horrific. I looked up to see the rest of the building falling down, down onto _me_. I slammed the door shut, hearing the heavy debris crash against the steel, my body feeling the impact as I held the door's handle.

"Thank you." Frigga panted, lighting a lantern, a warm, orange glow lighting up the dark and damp cellar. It was cold, it smelt cold, and we had very little supplies.

I nodded in reply. Loki drew me into a fierce embrace. "I could have lost you."

I kissed him. "You didn't.

We made our way over to where Volstagg sat. They'd established themselves in a corner, Asura curled up against Garm. "Volstagg, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, my dear." He kissed my forehead.

I watched Asura for a moment and thought, thought about Odin. Frigga didn't even have the chance to bury him; he had most probably been crushed, flattened by the falling palace. What a horrid thought.

"Loki, are you alright?" I touched his cheek and he nuzzled into my palm. He kissed it. "I'm quite alright, my little bug."

I went to kiss him but his sudden outburst of coughing made me stop. "Tickly throat?" I asked, feeling sick with fear… fear of losing him. Not him, anyone but _him._

"Yeah." He laughed it off. He inhaled and coughed again, then looked at me, his gaze endearing. "Eliera, I love you, you do know that, right?"

What I felt hearing those words come out of his mouth was unexplainable, I'd never felt anything like it. "I know."

He coughed again.

"And I love you."

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Loki and I slept beside each other, this time him being the one curled up in my arms. He was shivering, feeling a chill that only he could feel, coughing to try and relieve his throat of an itch that only he could feel. It wasn't long before he began to cough up small amounts of blood, then later on producing that smelly, grey, substance that the others had brought up from their insides.

I stroked his dark hair and spoke to him in a hushed voice. "It's me, Loki, it's me." I had remembered when Merel had told me that Asura hadn't known it was me. "It's me, don't worry." I said.

"He knows." Merel informed, crouching down beside the two of us and topping up the jug of water she had previously given us for Loki's throat.

"Thank you." I said as she took her leave.

I then heard a whisper addressing me. "Eliera." I looked up to the dark figure and noticed, as my eyes adjusted, that it was Frigga.

"Your grace."

"Please, child, call me Frigga."

"_Frigga_." It felt weird to call her by her name, it felt informal

"Eliera, I'm dying." She coughed against her palm, blood covering it. "I need someone to guide my people away from Asgard, to look after them."

"Frigga, no." I placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I've chosen you. I'd choose Loki but he's dying too." She reached out and stroked her son's cheek.

"I couldn't possibly take on the task." I was beyond aghast.

"I've always been fond of you, Eliera, I couldn't think of anyone better."

"But, Frigga I'm not a leader, I'm just not, not like you."

"You _are_."

She removed her ring from her finger and placed it into my hand before curling my fingers shut over it. "Take this." I opened my hand. It was silver with a blue stone. "It was my mother's and my mother's mother's, and her's and her's and so on. It's been passed down for generations."

"Frigga, I couldn't possibly-"

She cut me off. "Take it, a dying queen's last wish." She coughed again. She walked away, back to where she was sleeping.

I looked back down to Loki and laid beside him, my eyes set on his quivering face. I kissed his forehead. "You're alright." I snuggled next to him and felt his shaky arms wrap around me. "I love you." I whispered.

He didn't say it back, he couldn't say it back, but I felt his arms tighten around me and that was his way of saying it back without speaking.

**I do apologise for how badly written that was. But I hope you enjoyed it all the same. Review? Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**My People**

I woke up to complete darkness, it taking a while for my eyes to adjust. I rolled over onto my side to see Loki, his eye eyes closed as he continued to sleep. I didn't want to wake him so I shuffled away quietly to bump into a wide awake Volstagg. His eyes met mine, his face gloomy, distressed. He didn't say anything at first just stared at me. This scared me.

Then he spoke. "She's gone."

"What do you mean?" I asked. I think I already knew the answer I just wanted to remain oblivious.

"It's Asura… she's- she's dead." I didn't seem to react at first, just stared, as if I were trying to register what I'd just been told.

"Dead." I looked down to where her lifeless body lay, her head still propped up against Garm's stomach, falling and rising with every breath. If I hadn't had been told I could have easily thought that she was sleeping. "Dead." I said again. Her skin lacked colour, it was an eerie grey colour. That was when I reacted, sickness consuming my stomach and a lump forming in my throat. I tried to hold back the tears and I was somewhat successful, a single tear falling down my cheek. "Okay." I inhaled deeply, trying to ease the pain I felt inside, but it wouldn't go away. I turned away to look at the floor and composed myself.

"It's not just her." Volstagg continued.

I looked back at him, wanting him to elaborate. "Hogun and Sif have passed; Heimdall is on his last legs." He inhaled and bowed his head before continuing. "And the queen, Frigga, she passed also."

I was in too much shock to cry, I just stared at the floor, my eyes finding it difficult to look in the same place for very long. "Okay." I inhaled again, in an attempt to compose myself. "How are Gudrun and the children?" I asked.

"They're okay."

"Okay, good" I nodded.

"Eliera," Prince Amias said, coming up behind me. "I heard that you're the one that's going to be leading us now." He placed a hand on my shoulder and rubbed his thumb against the bare skin in a circular motion. "I'm sorry for all this, all these losses. I will be happy to look after and provide for your people in Vanaheim, you can lead them there. If you agree of course."

_My people? _That sounded weird. "Yes, thank you, Prince Amias."

"Please, just call me Amias." He took his leave.

I lay back down next to Loki, gazing at his face. It looked different. I shuffled closer to scrutinise him further. His face seemed to lack colour a little, it'd gone a sickly shade of grey… like Asura. "No." I whispered to myself. "Loki?" I asked. I touched his face, he did not stir. "Loki?" My voice raised but still I did not receive a reaction. "Loki?" I was practically screaming now, my voice distressed. I shook him. "Loki?!"

Merel ran to my side. "What is it, your grace?" She asked. _Your grace? _I guessed everyone had been informed of my new status… I wasn't used to it.

"Loki, he- he isn't moving."

Merel picked up his wrist and pressed her thumb against it. "There is no pulse." She turned to me, her head bowed. "I regret to inform you that Loki is dead."

I didn't speak, just stared into my lap. I didn't want to believe it but I couldn't deny the truth. I cried, cried so hard that it exhausted me both physically and emotionally.

00000000

Volstagg rammed the door open with all his strength, tossing the rubble aside. My niece and nephew, Hilde and Rolfe, stood behind me, peering around my legs, watching their father. Gudrun came up to me. "She chose you… do you think you can do this? Can undertake this task?"

_No. _"Yes."

"Then I do not doubt you for one moment, my dear." She left, dragging away her children.

Volstagg stepped behind me and I proceeded forwards, _my people _following behind me. I stepped out, my eyes feeling pained due to the light so shielded them with my hand. I hauled myself out to see the mass destruction before me, my people clambering out one by one, some carrying the bodies of the dead. I didn't look back, I didn't want to see him there, the man I loved, limp in some guard's arms, so I kept looking forwards, looking at the fallen palace before me. But it wasn't just the palace that was destroyed; the w_hole _of Asgard was too. It was painful to see put I'd cried enough so I needed to be strong, like Frigga was.

I continued to walk, stepping and clambering over the rubble, Noctis and Garm bounding ahead. I couldn't be bothered calling them back, I'd had enough for one day.

The farther we walked the slower Garm became, collapsing from time to time. Merel caught up to me. "See the hound, your grace?" She asked.

"Yes."

"He's dying."

"Why?"

"Hel must have died, when she dies he does. Ragnarök affects the underworld as well as Midgard and here." She explained.

"I assumed so… my sister is dead after all and she was from the underworld."

"Yes." She fell back with the rest of the group.

"Volstagg!" I called back. "Carry Garm," He was the only one strong enough to carry the hound's weight. "I want to bury him with Asura."

When we crossed the Bifrost we had to dodge the cracks and holes as some of it had been destroyed, and now a dying Heimdall was staggering towards his sword, readying to open the gate that would take us to Vanaheim.

"Are you sure you can do this?" I asked, helping him stand.

He nodded, and opened the gate. It opened. He collapsed onto his feet, sitting next to the sword, breathing heavily. He looked up at me. "I loved her, you know?"

He perplexed me, maybe he was hallucinating. "Who?" I asked.

"Your sister, I loved her. We used to spend a lot of time together… if you get what I mean." He winced, in pain.

"Oh." I had suspected… she had mentioned something, but only briefly.

"I never told her and… and I regret it."

"I think she knew"

Me too, he nodded, his eyes closing. "Can we have guard over here to carry Heimdall!?"

"No, your grace." He raised his hand, a gesture for me to stop. "I want to stay here in Asgard."

"As you wish Heimdall." I kissed his forehead. "You were a wonderful friend." His eyes closed and he let out his last breath. He died, a tear trickling down my cheek.

"My queen!" A guard called out. "We must go." He pointed to the ceiling.

I looked up to the ceiling, it was beginning to crack; it would crumble just like the rest of Asgard. "Alright." I got to my feet. "Where is Frigga?" I couldn't see anyone carrying her.

"We took her to her chambers and laid her body next to Odin's… he wasn't exactly in good shape, your grace."

"Good, she would want to be there." I could only imagine how horrible Odin's squished body looked. I stepped into the swirling, flashing portal-like gate way and stepped in, the others following after.

We landed in Vanaheim.

"Your grace," Amias said. "I will take you and your people to my palace, you will be well looked after."

"Thank you, Amias." I gestured for him to lead. "Please, lead the way."

"Your grace!" A guard called out. "It's Loki! His eyes just moved!"

I ran over immediately. "Loki!" The guard lowered him onto the floor and I took his face into my hands. "Loki?" His eyes fluttered. "_Loki."_ I kissed him. "Please wake up, I need you I _love _you." His eyes fluttered again.

**There you have it, it was a little rushed so sorry. Hope you liked it. REVIEW!**

**-Olivia**


	6. Chapter 6

A Bizarre Past

Ragnarök had changed a lot of things, one thing being Vanaheim's climate. It was snowing, white, shimmering flakes landing on every inch of me. I pulled my furs further over my shoulders to stop the cold attacking the exposed parts of my skin, and breathed in, inhaling the fresh, chilly air. I'd been in the graveyard for far too long now and it was about time I started making tacks back home. I began fiddling with the ring on my finger the one Frigga had given me- and looked at each grave of my lost loved ones. I'd only given Sif and Fandral traditional Viking funerals- Hogun told me that that was what they would have wanted- but I buried the rest here because I wanted to keep them close, so I could come here to visit them, so to speak, from time to time.

I looked down at Noctis who was sat next to me, tail swaying idly. "We've been here a while, hm?"

She gazed up at me.

"Your grace," It was Merel, wrapped up in her own expensive furs. I'd made her my lady's maid, therefore her gaining more expensive attire. But she was also my friend, my best friend.

"Merel,"

"Your husband wonders where you are, as do your children."

"I guess I'll head back then."

"Are you alright, your grace?"

I sighed. "Yes, just… reminiscing."

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I entered my husband's office, closing the door behind me. "How are you, my dear?" I asked, making my way over to him and crouching slightly so that I could establish my head on his shoulder, burying my face in the crook of his neck and kissing the skin.

He put his quill back in the ink pot. "More like how are _you?" _He turned in his chair to face me. "You've been gone for a while."

"I was at the graveyard." I explained.

"You miss them, it's understandable." He took my face in his hands and kissed my forehead.

Then the door flung open, my son and daughter bounding into the room. "Mummy!" My little girl said, her ginger curls bouncing as she ran towards me and hugged my legs. "Hello, Asura." I lifted her into my arms and kissed her nose. I then looked to my son whom was tugging at Noctis' tail, the colour of his hair matching the colour of her fur. "Where's your uncle Volstagg?" I asked him.

He jumped to his feet. "With Auntie Gudrun. Mummy, are you going back to the burial grounds?"

"No, my darling, why?" I put Asura onto my husband's lap.

"I want to come see."

He'd never asked me that before. "Okay."

"I'll come too." My husband said, getting up, little Asura in his arms.

My son took my hand.

00000000

We stood before the graves. "That's your Aunt Asura," I explained, running my fingers through his hair. "and Garm."

"Asura is my name!" Asura said, squirming in my husband's arms.

"I know, I named you after her." I pointed out. I then pointed to the next grave. "And that's Loki."

"Loki!?" My son said. "That's my name!"

"Yes, I named _you _after _him_."

My husband smiled at me.

"Who was Loki, Mummy?" Loki asked.

"A man I loved very much."

"But you love Daddy." Asura exclaimed.

I took my husband's hand. "Of course I love your father, but I loved Loki once too. Merel, could you take them back to the palace?" I asked her turning to her.

She nodded and took Asura into her arms and holding onto Loki's hand. She took them away.

I rested my head on my husband's shoulder. "I'd say we have a rather bizarre past, my love."

He took my chin between his thumb and forefinger and kissed me.

"Promise me that our lives will be… calmer, Amias."

"I promise." He smiled.

I kissed him back.


End file.
